The Momentum conference is the premier conference for recently qualified (up to five years) and about-to-be qualified actuaries and is attended by delegates from all practice areas. It allows an opportunity for delegates to develop crucial softer skills, learn from industry experts and increase technical knowledge to add further value to a young actuary’s skill-set.

This symposium will provide an update on the latest thinking across associated disciplines, a multi-disciplinary forum for the exchange of information on the latest relevant research, plus an opportunity to learn about established knowledge from a range of different disciplines, all with an interest in better understanding and managing this complex yet critical subject.

This symposium will be of interest to actuaries who are concerned with pricing or reserving for mortality and longevity, underwriters, demographers, epidemiologists, policymakers, gerontologists, other medical researchers, and all those with an interest in better understanding the determinants of mortality and longevity, projecting their future course, and managing the uncertainties.

By hosting the conference adjacent to the Society of Social Medicine’s Annual Scientific Meeting in 2011 we hope to attract further participation from the medical, epidemiology and demography academic communities as well as the Actuarial Profession’s core membership.

The Life conference is the premier professional event for life actuaries. The programme will cover topical issues like regulation and capital management and will also look to the future; with talks on product development, future opportunities and the use of technology. There will also be opportunities to develop your professional and softer skills.

We have also included many international workshops, developed in conjunction with the life section of the International Actuarial Association (IAA). The conference is open to all professionals working in the life sector, from actuaries to those who work or have an interest in life insurance. International members should find this event useful and members of the IAA are invited to attend the conference at the Actuarial Profession’s member rate.

Sessional research event — an international comparative study of mortality tables used in pensions20 June, Staple Inn Hall, London 16.30 (registration) for 17.00–19.00

Mortality tables are used in the calculation of pensions liabilities on company balance sheets, but the assumptions made can vary considerably by country. The purpose of this study is to look at the mortality tables used throughout the EU and other selected countries, and compare them with the corresponding population tables. The objective is not to abandon the use of country-specific tables, but to understand the extent to which there are systemic differences between standard mortality tables in use in the EU and selected countries that could be accounted for by methodological differences in their construction or differences in the underlying data, assumptions or projection methods.

We compare, separately for each country, the current mortality and the assumed future improvements. We also deal explicitly with the impact of mortality improvements on liabilities, since an issue for actuaries that has become increasingly significant is to explain how pension liability values are affected by changes in both economic and mortality assumptions. Finally, we consider what assumptions (for example, current mortality and future mortality improvements) are mandated by the relevant authorities.

The paper is an update and extension of the original study, which was published in 2005 ‘International Comparative Study of Mortality Tables for Pension Fund Retirees’ — Verrall et al 2005. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact eventmanagement@actuaries.org.uk